Rodney art street is a busy place with dim street lamps lighting up the narrow and crowded streets. The apprentices in workshops or studios make various preparations for the artists'' creation, such as polishing carving tools, making mural panels or mixing pigments.


    Fergus stepped across the dirty ditch, carrying an unfinished portrait, and was about to open the wooden door of his studio when he heard a male voice behind him saying hello.


    "Oh, Fergus."


    Fergus looked back and looked surprised when he saw the visitor: "director George, why are you here?"


    The man who called him was a middle-aged man with a big beard and a mild complexion. More than 90% of the painters in Rodney art street knew his name because he was the president of the Elroy painters guild and had great prestige.


    The man, who is known as director George, touched his head and said with a smile, "I always wanted to talk to you, but I can''t squeeze out time recently. I have to come to you when I don''t have to do anything in the morning."


    Fergus opened the door, embarrassed, said with a smile: "as long as you tell me to go to your office in person, why bother you to come here, please come in first."


    When they entered the studio, director George brought a stool and sat down, with a slightly serious look: "Fergus, you should have guessed what I came for you."


    Fergus nodded and said in a complicated tone, "is it about my apprentice?"


    Director George put his hands on the table, held his chin, and said seriously, "ah, the rumors about her have been circulating in the guild. This is a rare opportunity for her. Since she works for Mr. Adrian, now that she applies to join the guild, no one in the guild will question or oppose her."


    In Elroy, the way to distinguish apprentices from professional painters is very simple, that is, to verify in the professional guild. Generally speaking, as long as you have the corresponding ability, you can easily pass the test. However, Fergus''s Apprentice Niya has participated in several tests before, and all of them have failed because of her poor painting skills.


    But it was when Fergus saw that Niya''s painting technology was mature that she asked her to test it. He knew better than everyone that Niya had talent and enthusiasm. The unqualified evaluation was just a conclusion for Niya''s female identity.


    Fergus is not unable to understand the ideas of those painters. If a female painter passes the test and becomes a professional painter, it will damage the reputation of the painters industry in Elroy. What kind of painters guild will make a woman become a painter? Is the male painter dead? Can''t even find a capable one?


    Fergus hesitated: "but


    "I know what you are hesitating about. Before that, you asked her to accept the job as an apprentice, including Mr. Adrian''s entrustment. Don''t worry. After all, Mr. Adrian has a high reputation in Elroy. No one will question his vision, so private work can''t be the reason to eliminate her. "


    Director George looked out of the window, looked at the people coming and going, and seemed to see farther away: "Fergus, I think this is the best era, just like the oil painting of master oshart two hundred years ago. His works changed that era. Now we must be in the same situation. The times are changing, and we stand at the center of this change, In recent years, you have personally felt that no matter how excellent a female painter was, no matter how excellent her works were, it would not have been possible to show them out decades ago. "


    "No, maybe it''s changing. There are several famous female writers in our neighbor''s literary industry, which also uses pen. I don''t think painting, which is also an art, will be silent all the time. Isn''t Niya a suitable girl? She likes painting. She has high talent and ambition. The most important thing is that she meets the opportunity that the painter dreams of. What do you think? Fergus, the baby eagle has learned to spread its wings. Do you still want to confine her to this narrow and dark studio? "


    Fergus shook his head. "George, I''ve never had such an idea."


    George patted Fergus on the shoulder: "that''s good. I should go back when I''m finished. By the way, we should consider letting Niya find a new teacher in the end."


    A teacher''s role is not only to teach students. The reputation of a teacher is also very important to his apprentice''s career as a professional painter. Fergus himself is just a painter who runs a well-known studio on Rodney art street. He knows his limit, which has become the shackles of Niya.


    It''s not appropriate to push the young eagles who have learned to spread their wings down the cliff.


    Fergus looked a little lonely and depressed: "don''t worry about this. I once wrote a letter to Ms. Shirley, imploring her to accept her as an apprentice. Ms. Shirley agreed. Although Ms. Shirley is not a professional painter, she can certainly help Niya with her fame."


    ······


    The spacious room was full of people. A man in painter''s clothes came out, raised his right hand and announced: "now, let''s start the third test. The test questions are portrait painting, oil painting or watercolor. You can paint in your own way. The theme is self-determined, and the time limit is two hours."


    At the end of the speech, the male painter looked at the door: "well, Ms. yudora, please be their painting reference."


    A woman in a gorgeous dress walks in with an umbrella. She looks pretty, but she doesn''t seem to be used to this gorgeous dress. Her temperament reveals a subtle sense of disharmony.


    The well-dressed woman sits in the center of the room. In front of her, there are six drawing boards. In front of each drawing board, there is a painter who took part in the professional test.


    Yudora sat down formally. The harsh eyes of male painters made it difficult for her to adapt. She just looked up and was stunned. In front of her was a beautiful woman with short hair, much younger than her. However, being able to sit here also showed her identity. A painter who came to take part in the test, when can a woman become a painter?


    In Niya''s eyes, yodora nodded politely and chuckled. With the presence of the same woman, her mood relaxed a lot.


    Niya responded with a warm smile. After taking a deep breath, her eyes became cautious and she began to think about how to write.


    For a month, she worked as an assistant pen in digini comics studio, assisting Shirley to draw the details of comics. At the beginning, her proud ability of sketching was defeated, and the details, speed, and even the exquisite degree that she could not describe in words were far less than Shirley. Fortunately, Shirley doesn''t have the mentality of being clumsy, so she carefully guides her painting. Most of her painting skills come from Harvey''s modern painting skills, so it''s impossible to be worse.


    Niya''s talent is very high. Although she can''t compare with Shirley, she can''t even compare her heartfelt enthusiasm for painting.


    Shirley is a better teacher than Harvey, and Niya is a better student than Shirley. Digini''s comic Studio provides a good environment, so in this month, Shirley''s painting technology has made rapid progress, absorbing the knowledge and ability of Shirley all the time.


    The girl is holding a brush and measuring the scale of the characters. What she has learned most this month is probably the light, shadow and sense of space in sketching.


    When other male painters look at her and don''t know what Niya is playing, they almost don''t look at her with the eyes of the mentally retarded. As a model, yudora also smiles.